Lose weight after having a baby – the healthy way

Having been through the process to try and lose weight after having a baby 5 times, I really understand how challenging it can be. After my first 4 babies it was a real struggle and I never managed to get back to my pre pregnancy weight – this was more to do with my love of chocolate and often hoovering up the kids food, than anything else.

Madly enough, I never used hypnosis to help me lose the extra weight (in spite of my work and training!!). However, some time after my fifth baby I became far more aware of food and nutrition, and started using hypnosis to help me overcome my chocolate cravings.

I am thrilled that I am now back to my pre pregnancy weight (in fact just below it and I love the way I look)!

So I have created this “Healthy eating for new mums” track to help all new (and not so new) mums to easily make the changes that I finally discovered 14 years after my first baby!

A gentle and sensible way to lose weight after having a baby

To start with, this track is NOT about a quick fix, celeb style, fast way to lose weight after having a baby approach. This is not about going on a crash diet or reducing calories. This track is all about acknowledging your needs as a new mum by helping you change or improve your eating habits so you increase your intake of healthy, nutritious food, increase the amount of water you drink and decrease foods high in sugar, saturated fats and starchy carbs. In addition it helps you shift away from emotion based eating (ie eating out of boredom, stress, tiredness, habit) and towards eating mainly for nutrition as well as hunger.

In addition, listening to the track helps you to take time to slow down, stop and relax which reduces the cortisol or stress hormones that you get when you are tired. This is a double whammy as increased cortisol can make it harder to lose weight after having a baby.

Listening to “Healthy eating for new mums” will help you:-

eat more vibrant colourful fruit and vegetables

eat less sugars, fats and complex carbohydrates (bread, pasta)

drink more water

reduce cravings and bad habits

recognise when you are full and then stop eating

avoid picking food from your baby or toddler

avoid unhealthy snacks between meals by using simple triggers

practice mindfulness to help you stay calm and focused.

eat for the right reasons and not based on your emotions

create a more positive and healthy relationship with food

Increase your health and vitality to cope better with sleepless nights and long days.

“I have listened to the track for three weeks and I’m drinking way more water (instead of squash or diet coke), I don’t even want chocolate (very unlike me), I am enjoying looking for and choosing healthy food and still feel like I am eating loads. I’ve lost 3lb!” Judy

The average woman gains about 28 lbs during her pregnancy, however only about 7lb of this is extra fat and 8lb is excess fluid, which was an integral and necessary part of keeping you and your baby healthy. Once your baby has been born, you will of course lose about half of the amount you have gained which is made up of your baby, the placenta, amniotic fluid and increased blood flow. However, initially your body will retain the excess fat and fluid that you gained during your pregnancy as a store to supply your breast milk production. Over the next few weeks you will naturally continue to lose some of this weight as your body releases excess fluid and the fat is used for milk.

For most women who maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle, the remaining 10 – 12 lbs will gradually disappear over the next 6 – 9 months.

How long will it take to lose weight after having a baby?

This will depend on many factors however the key is to go slow and steady – ignore all the hype about celebrity weight loss. However, by using this track you will be upping your health and well being and changing habits so that you no longer crave the unnecessary foods that lead many women to retain or gain weight. As a result you are likely to lose weight at a steady, healthy and maintainable pace. Many women find they lose 2 – 3 lbs a month so you can expect to lose any excess weight from 6 months – a year.

How exactly does Hypnosis work?

The process of hypnosis enables great communication between your conscious and subconscious and so by listening to and absorbing the words and suggestions, you are able to easily change patterns, thoughts, beliefs and habits at a deeper subconscious level. By creating new associations and patterns, your subconscious is sending new helpful messages to your conscious, so you no longer rely on will power to control what and how much you eat.

There is a great deal of evidence that diets do not actually work in the long term. It is only by changing your thoughts, triggers and eating habits to ones which are healthy and beneficial, that you will reduce your weight and size to one which is right for you. By listening to this track 2 to 3 times a week you will soon notice a change in your patterns, you will be drinking more water, feel less cravings, enjoy the food you do eat and feel more in control of your choices.

I recommend that you start listening to this from 6 weeks after your baby is born and carry on until you no longer feel you need it. It is also appropriate for women with older babies or young toddlers.

How often should I listen to it?

In the first week aim to listen to it 4 – 5 times and then reduce that to 1 – 2 times a week until you are happy with your new healthy eating habits. It is also a great way to relax, get a bit of you time and help you feel more in control in other areas of your life as well.

Can I start listening to it before 6 weeks?

I don’t recommended that you do as your body is still going through many changes since the birth. However that does not mean you can’t still eat healthily.

Is this safe to use when breastfeeding?

Yes – this is not about crash diets or reducing how much you eat. This is more about choosing healthy options and increasing your water intake which are both beneficial when breastfeeding. You need approximately 300 calories extra a day to produce milk for your baby compared to mothers who formula feed. This means that breastfeeding alone can help you to lose weight if you simply continue to eat healthily. There is also evidence to suggest that breastfeeding may help you to keep your weight off in the longer term.

The track lasts 28 minutes. Aim to listen to this at a time when your baby or toddler is either asleep or being taken care of by someone else. Ideally listen to it at a time when you would not normally going to sleep, however if you can only listen to it at bed time then it will still be beneficial.